Kelley's Creek & Northwestern 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA

Class 1 (Locobase 1311)

See also "The Great Wreck of '56" on the Buffalo Creek & Gauley website at [], last accessed 7 December 2017. Works number was 59309 in July 1918.

Note on the railroad's name: Both Kelly's Creek and Kelley's Creek refer to the same creek, which is usually spelled Kelly's Creek in government and financial documents. Named for an early settler named Walter Kelly, it has been known locally as "Kelly Creek", "Kelly's Creek", "Kelley Creek", or "Kelley's Creek".

The short line incorporated in 1904 and headquartered in Ward, WV and was usually identified as "Kelly's Creek" in early years; during that time, the railroad's mileage amounted to 3 1/4 miles (5 1/4 km). As of 1911, the railroad had been extended another 3.1 miles to 6.35 miles (10.25 km). "Kelley's Creek" denotes the same railroad in West Virginia's Public Service Commission reports covering 1915-1916. Other than the ICC Valuation in 1918, which used the earlier spelling, Kelley's Creek consistently appears in government, financial, and corporate documents from 1915 on.

Delivered as an 0-8-0. (Al Weber's Alco accounting says that this engine was a Schenectady plant switcher that was rebuilt as a 2-8-0 and sold to the KC&NW). That railroad operated the 1 for over three decades before selling to the Buffalo Creek & Gauley in August 1950 as their #14.

The "Great Wreck of '56" left the 14 in bad shape: "Cody Burdette says that #14 broke so many stay bolts that its amazing that the boiler didn't explode. She was in the shop a very long time before going back into service."

But back in service she went until Paul Hersch bought the 14 out of storage in 1967. The engine didn't move to Quakertown, PA until 1975. In 1980, 14 was donated to the Historic Red Clay Valley's Wilmington & Western at Greenbank, DE. Sold to Melvyn Small in December 1984, the 14 was stored in the W&W shop in Marshallton, DE.

By 2014, the 14 had been cosmetically restored and put on static display at Gaithersburg, MD.